Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Who said it is a bad thing to be living in California during this economic debacle? The Governator "a.k.a. Governor Schwarzenegger" is doling out checks to unsuspecting individuals, maybe even you. Although big fat IOUs are still replacing tax refunds (see the previous posting), you may be one of the lucky ones enjoying a different type of financial windfall. Before I tell how to find out if you're a big Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner, just dream for a bit about how you'll be spending the money. Go ahead and buy that famous Christmas Story, fishnet enveloped leg lamp you've been lusting after since your prepubescent days. Or, you could be more fiscally responsible and apply it to some upcoming bills.

Either way, it'll only take you 1 minute to find out. Simply visit the California State Controller's (that's John Chiang to you) Unclaimed Property Search at http://scoweb.sco.ca.gov/UCP/. Type in your name, cross your fingers and see what turns up. Rumor has it that California alone has $5 billion worth of unclaimed property including uncashed checks, insurance benefits, retail credits, stock dividends, etc. Yours truly only got $2.06, but I know someone out there is going to take me to a nice dinner after I found her $530. Bored at work? See if anyone you know is on the list - it's almost as fun as Googling an ex-flame.

Live outside of California? Check if your state has a similar program. Just type "unclaimed property 'your state'" into Google and hope for the best.

4 tips to protect your holiday gift cards.

Did you have a December to Remember? I'm assuming most of us didn't wake up this holiday season to a shiny new Lexus adorned with a bow. In fact, did you really get anything from your wish list? There is nothing worse than unwrapping an Ionic air purifier when you were dreaming of a new iPod. OK, maybe the pink bunny costume would trump that (see video).



I am a huge fan of giving and receiving gift cards. If you are sitting on a post-holiday treasure trove of gift cards, here are a some tips to protect these valuable pieces of plastic.

• Lose gift cards and you are out-of-luck. Unless you treat them like the Amex travelers checks of yesteryear. Remember how you used to copy down the individual numbers of each check before heading off on a trip? Do the same with your gift cards. Then, if you misplace one, simply go back to your records and use the number for an online purchase. Some retailers may even let you get a new card if you are worried that it was stolen or if you prefer to make an in store purchase.


• Some gift cards expire or lose their value over time. This all depends on your state gift card consumer protection laws. Check a site such as ConsumersUnion.org to review your state's laws.


• Use them before the retailer goes bankrupt. Have a card from Mervyn's? You are out-of-luck. Got one from Linens 'n Things? You probably have about 10 more minutes to buy something. If you suspect the retailer might be going bankrupt, don't sit on that gift card.


• Just can't find anything you want to buy? If you don't eat at Red Lobster or no longer shop at Sears, have no fear. There are a number of online marketplaces out there that allow you to swap gift cards for a small fee. These include Swapagift.com, Cardavenue and GiftCardsAgain.com. DISCLAIMER - I've never tried any of these services so be sure to do your due diligence before proceeding. If you have experience with any of these services, please post a comment below to let others know.

Happy shopping! Enjoy the lingering post-holiday sales.